To Save a Rogue II
by C. D. Lamarr
Summary: The plot thickens! Mystique and the Brotherhood plot an attack on the X-Men!--Third attempt to upload--bear with me!


To save a Rogue

To save a Rogue

By:

C.D. Lamarr

Chapter 2

"Now, remember: Keep Cyclops busy and away from everyone else! Keep the Phoenix isolated—those two must not be on hand to interfere with my plans!"

"Well just what exactly are you trying to do Mystique", Pietro asked, "I mean what is it you want with them?"

"That's for me to know", grated the shape shifter, "And for you to obey orders! You just worry about Cyclops! With your super speed you should be able to evade his Optic blasts easily—and if you play your cards right you should be able to take him down!"

"Wanda I want you to focus on Grey! Keep her away from Rogue, keep her away from me! I don't want her to figure out who I am until I'm ready to show myself!"

Arms folded—brows knitted together like thunder clouds Wanda grunted her ascent and said nothing.

"But", said Toad in a rare burst of thoughtfulness, "I thought you said that with your advanced morphing ability an all that you could be right under the old crone's nose and he wouldn't be able to tell!"

"Yes, yes I did say that", muttered Mystique, "And it's true—but—just the same I won't take any chances. The Phoenix is potentially more powerful than the Professor himself—and her powers are growing!"

"Oh", said Toad cleaning out his ears and flicking away the gore for the benefit of all to see, "Well—it's a good thang Wanda can get up on that and all—I mean otherwise I might have ta hurt her or something. Ain't that right sweet thang?"

_"Wanda"_, Mystique growled out in warning as the girl's hand had gone aloft to deliver an energy bolt, "Not now—you can flay his carcass on your time—right now you're on mine! We have more pressing matters at hand!"

Wanda glares at Toad.

"You'd better be thankful—_insect_--

"Now", snapped Mystique interrupting her, "Are we clear?"

"Absolutely", said Lance, "But you should let me handle Somers!"

"No! Pietro can handle him! You and the others can take out Shadow Cat, Spike and the Night Crawler! And for stars sake keep your wits about you—they're well trained!"

"But what about Rogue", Lance asked but Mystique cuts him off.

"No! And let me make it crystal clear that under no circumstances are _any_—and I mean _any_ of you—to go near Rogue or let her get near you! I will punish—_and pretty severely to_—any one of you who allows her to so much as look at you let alone touch you! Do we understand each other?"

The Mob generally took Mystique quite literally whenever she threatened punishment for disobedience, for the shape shifter could be pretty imaginative when it came to finding ways to tease and to inflict punishment!

"Yes Mystique. We understand!"

Even Wanda grunted her comprehension of the threat and to do her credit she had every intention of obeying it. She'd experienced enough of the wicked touch not to want to have anything to do with Rogue—under any circumstance!

"Good", said Mystique briskly, "Now go on and prepare the transport for Brooklyn—I want it warmed and ready in five minutes!"

They leave.

"Now", she said turning to Irene, "Let me see if I got this right: "You want me—_me_—to pick a fight……._with Wolverine?"_

"Well I--

"Woman have you taken leave of your senses?"

"Look I know how dangerous he can--

_"Dangerous",_ Mystique interrupted laughing scornfully, "That's the understatement of the century! _Dangerous!_ Irene I still bear the scars from our last encounter! I'm not exactly in a hurry to add to them!"

"Well—I mean—as you always say: It would a small sacrifice—for the greater good!"

Mystique stares.

_"Is that your best argument?"_

"Well you said yourself that Rogue has uncharted, untapped potential—vast reserves of Mutant power just waiting to be—_exploited?_

"An _investment_—_I said investment_—not exploit", Mystique growls as though that might make her reasoning any less vile!

"Well", says Irene in her most wheedling tone, "This might be the moment you've been waiting for to try whatever influence with the girl you may still have!"

"But--

"Once she has your memories she'll know you adopted her! And what child is there that wouldn't want to get to know her Parent? Well—what??"

This argument was irresistible.

The possibility of gaining influence over the girl and separating her from Xavier and the X-Men was too tempting to be combated—and Irene knew it—because she knew Mystique!

The girl been well trained—there was no denying that!

She certainly could use someone with Rogue's discipline on her team.

Blob—powerful though he might be—his mental endowments or rather his utter lack of them made his abilities more of a liability than an asset—a dumb jock of sorts but without any of the looks. Lance was too independent, Pietro treacherous, arrogant and vain, and Toad was—well—Toad. And then there was Wanda—uncontrollable, utterly unpredictable! Her emotional instability had a monstrous effect on powers that when out of control could easily destroy an entire Square!

And the girl wasn't all that discriminating whenever she unleashed them!

Not a very desirable companion!

As for the new recruits—she'd have to see them in action before making any assessments.

"Well", said she coming out of her abstraction, "I still don't see how it can be done! Since Magneto in all his wisdom", and here the shape shifter snorts derisively, "Exposed our little secret to the rest of the world the X-Men have been even more cautious about using their powers openly—paranoid if you ask me--

"And with good reason."

"Which begs the question: How are going to draw them out into the open without arousing suspicion? They're not easily fooled and you're no Xavier!"

"I don't have to be in order for us to win."

"_No?" _

"Just have Juggernaut break a few things", Irene says with a smirk, "They'll show up—I guarantee it!"

"And then", Mystique purrs, her yellow eyes gleaming, "We'll see what can done about Miss Rogue!"


End file.
